Ask the expert

How do I find the right foundation shade? How do I get longer, fuller lashes? Our beauty expert Jonas Wramell has the answers to all your most pressing beauty questions.

1. My skin looks so dull and tired, how do I give it that glow?
– In the winter when skin is dry and flaky, it’s extra important to exfoliate using a gentle face scrub to remove dead skin cells and kickstart your circulation. Then hydrate and even out skin tone with a BB cream or a hydrating foundation. As a final touch, dab a highlighter on the highest point of your cheekbones and under your browline to give your skin a healthy glow and accentuate your most beautiful features.

2. How do I find the right shade of foundation?
– Skin tone changes constantly, and we usually have several different shades on our face. So my best advice is to invest in two different shades of foundation. A lighter one that matches your skin tone in the winter, and a darker one, which corresponds to your skin tone in the summer. Then you can mix the two shades to get the right tone year round. To check if you’ve found the right shade, blend the two shades on the back of your hand, draw a line on your cheekbone and look in the mirror. If you can’t really see the line, then you’ve found the right tone.

3. How do I hide the dark circles under my eyes?
– Start by applying an eye cream. Then cover the dark circles with a concealer; for best results use two different consistencies of concealer – one thin and one thick. Use the thicker concealer closer to the bridge of your nose and the thinner one under and out towards the outer corner of your eye. Use a concealer brush to blend and fade.

4. How do I bring my makeup look from day to night without looking too made up?
– Here are two easy tips: frame your eyes with black eyeliner and apply an extra layer of black mascara. Or highlight your lips with a bright red or pink lipstick. To give your look something extra, you can dab some highlighter along the tops of your cheekbones for a luxurious feel.

5. How do I give my makeup that fresh spring feeling?
– Emerge from winter with a fresh pink cream blush on your cheeks – it will leave the impression that you’ve just been out for a walk in the beautiful spring weather. Combine this with bright nail polish as a pretty contrast to the darker colours of autumn.

6. How do I get longer, fuller eyelashes?
– Always use a an eyelash curler before applying mascara, and make sure to change the curler’s rubber strip regularly so it doesn’t wear on your lashes. Apply mascara in three different directions – inwards toward your nose, upwards toward your eyebrows and then outwards toward the outer corner of your eye. This will give you long, full eyelashes that last all day and all night.

7. I don’t have that much time to get ready in the morning – how do I get that fresh look in a snap?
– Start with an eye cream to get your circulation going, clear puffiness and freshen up your complexion. Then dab a light concealer under your eyes – try to find one that has light-reflecting pigments to lighten any darkness. Get a fresh rosy look by applying a cream blush on the highest point of your cheeks, and dab a little blush on your lips as well. Then finish with mascara and you’re ready to take on a new day!

8. How can I use makeup to give my skin some colour?
– The biggest mistake women make is to apply bronzing powder with a big blush brush all over their faces. To give your skin a natural glow, it’s enough to use bronzer around the outer edges of your face and along your hair- and jawlines.

9. How often should I clean my makeup brushes?
– Clean tools give a more even and refined effect, so I would recommend cleaning brushes twice a week. It’s easy to do – just wash them with soap and water and leave them to dry in a glass.

10. What is primer for?
– Primer prepares your skin for foundation and concealer and allows your makeup to last and look fresh longer. Primer also reduces the prominence of pores, erases fine lines and evens out your skin tone. It’s well worth the investment!